Silver Spotlight
by Lady Perditus
Summary: Gokaiger. What if? Five things that never happened to Ikari Gai.


**Silver Spotlight**

**Summary: **Gokaiger. A what-if. Five things that never happened to Ikari Gai. Probably lucky for him.

**Author's note: **My keyboard slipped? GOOOOOKAI SILVER!

**Disclaimer: **Well flippity flapjack. Did you think it was mine?

* * *

**1.** watch your step

Ikari Gai was only walking down the road on a whim. Honest.

Okay, so maybe he was a _little _obsessed. But hey, even if they _were_ space pirates they were still Sentai, right? That meant they were heroes, and in his book that was good enough for him. Of course, as luck would have it, right as he was going to run in front of them and ask (cough _beg _cough) for their autographs, the Zangyack attacked.

He had to suppress his squeals as they pulled out their Mobirates.

It was just _so cool. _

Gai didn't really think things through and instead of running like any sane person, he stayed to cheer on his heroes.

It was a good idea until the Zangyack turned their attention on _him._

Oops?

So this was it, a fireball was soaring towards him and Gai saw his life flash before his eyes. He sent one last prayer towards heaven, begging for forgiveness about that one time he lied to his teacher about putting gum in Akira Rho's hair but in his defense she _totally _deserved it the little brat—

Gokai Red leapt in front of him and with one elegant swing of his sword the ball of hot flames dispersed harmlessly. Gai's heart nearly stopped.

"Get out of here." The Captain of the Gokaigers ordered, barely sparing a second glance at the youngster. "And next time run away. Hurry!"

Gai scurried off.

Totally worth the near-death experience.

* * *

**2. **he never ever saw it coming at all

He felt his arm snap in half, the burning pain flaring up through his shoulder. Gai tried to stop the violent cry of pain that tore itself from his throat but it was to no avail. Black spots danced in his vision and without even looking he could tell he was knocked out of his Gokai Silver form.

It took every ounce of his willpower not to pass out. A low chuckle rumbled from Basco's chest and it was only the bastard's arm around his neck that kept him from collapsing to the ground in a bloody heap. Basco thrust out his other hand, palm turned upwards.

"Your Mobirates and Ranger Keys. Now."

If Gai was able to think through his haze and mantra of _pain pain pain _he would realize that this was bad. Very bad.

"No way Basco." Marvelous seethed, voice low with hatred and the protective tone he took whenever any of the crew members were hurt. Basco's response was tightening the grip on Gai's throat and it wasn't until he could breathe again did he realize the choking sounds were coming from _him._

"Gai!" Ahim cried out, ready to lurch forward.

"Last chance, Marvy-chan~." The _nerve_ of their worst foe caused the Gokaigers blood to boil.

"Okay. You've made your point."

Only then did Gai realize their mistakes. "Wait, don't—" He tried to wheeze.

Basco was quicker, and stronger. He didn't need Gai, not really. Not while the other five were still alive.

His team's faces twisted with horror was the last thing he ever saw.

* * *

**3. **family problems

"GAI?!"

Gokai Silver's blood ran cold. It couldn't be…

"Oh my god! It is you!"

Oh. Shit.

"Mari—" Gai winced, mind racing with possibilities of excuses he could give to his older sister as to explain his sudden disappearance from the house hold. Maybe she'd believe him if he said it was for…

She smacked him upside the head. "What are you doing here? Do you know how long we've been looking for you?! I can't believe you! Up and leaving without a wo—"

"Um…Gai?" Don bashfully poked his head into the conversation, slipping his Mobirates back into his pocket after the recent confrontation with the Zangyack. "Is this…a friend of yours?"

Mari scowled, her dark eyes narrowing into slits. "You haven't even told them about me?" She accused. Gai cowered.

"Mar—"

"Ugh! You're unbelievable!"

"Oi! What's going on here?"

"Who is she?"

"I'm," Mari pointed her thumb at herself, then at her younger brother, puffing up her chest. "This useless idiot's sister."

Luka's face screwed up in confusion. "You have a sister?"

If only glares could murder. Mari ignored her, choosing to instead grab Gai by his ear and shake him violently, ignoring his litany of '_ow!_'. "So this is what you've been doing this entire time?" She hissed. The other Gokaigers looked upon the pair with a mix of confusion and amusement. "Running around with…with pirates!"

"We're Sentai," Gai whined, trying to bat her hand away. "We protect the Earth from the Zangyack!" He broke free and struck one of his various poses (which he undoubtedly thought looked awesome from a spectator's view but instead made him look like a spazzy five year old with little control of his limbs).

"You are coming home RIGHT NOW!"

"But-"

Mari snatched the silver Mobirates from his hand and tossed to Captain Marvelous, who caught it with no difficulties. "Don't expect him to come back."

* * *

**4. **the original (or new) sin

"Such a shame that Marvy-chan wouldn't listen to you."

Gai leapt three feet in the air. "Huh? Who's there?"

Basco neatly stepped from behind a pillar and flashed an award-winning at the boy. "He doesn't even know you have a Mobirates, does he?"

"Well…" He shifted his weight from one foot to another, uncomfortable at this stranger's sudden appearance. "No. Not yet. I didn't have the chance to show him and…"

"Of course, I'm not even sure why you'd want to join his crew. They don't even want to protect Earth—actually, they're only here to steal and plunder. But…" Basco shook his head in mock sympathy. "Well, if you want…"

"W-wait a second!"

Basco could hardly contain his grin.

"What do you mean?" Gai raced forward and grabbed the man by the arm, staring him in the eyes imploringly. "They're Sentai! O-of course they protect Earth, and justice, and—"

"Oh, you don't know do you?" He clicked his tongue. "You poor boy. Your hopes will be crushed if you find out."

"Find out what?"

Basco made a move to break free, but Gai only tightened his grip. _Hook, line, and sinker. _"Do you know _how _they got those Ranger Keys?"

"Well, they got them from past Sentai rangers…right?" Gai's voice was tinged with self-doubt, a creeping suspicion that maybe he didn't quite know what he was talking about.

"No, no. The Gokaigers stole those ultimate powers. You see, I fight them because the Ultimate Treasure in the Universe is my dream, and they know that if I reach it first they couldn't use it for their own wicked schemes…"

"You can't be serious!"

"Deadly."

"T-then how do we stop them?"

"We?" Basco elegantly arched and eyebrow and crossed his arms, enjoying seeing the little brat squirm.

Gai bit his lip. "Please let me help you! I just want to protect the universe, and if it means beating those Sentai imposters I'll do it!"

Basco tapped his chin thoughtfully before breaking out into a grin. He slung one arm over the boy's shoulder companionably. "You," He leaned down and used his other hand to ruffle Gai's hair. "Are going to be _very_ useful."

* * *

**5. **hero no more

He woke up in a rather precarious position. Not a 'my-feet-are-tangled-in-the-sheets' or 'oh-no-Luka-has-another-photo-of-me-drooling-in-my-sleep' precarious, but rather he 'woke up on a Zangyack fleet ship tied up with chains' precarious.

"Erm." Was Gai's brilliant first word to Prince Warz Gill. He belatedly realized he probably should have kept his mouth and feigned unconsciousness for a little longer, but then again Gai doubted he could keep still for that long.

"AHA! YOU WORTHLESS PIRATE SCUM! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE CAUGHT BY THE GREATEST SPACE EMPIRE THE UNIVERSE HAS EVER SEEN?!"

Gokai Silver blinked. "Who?"

Prince Warz Gill slammed his hands down on the computer console in front of him. "THE ZANGYACK YOU INSOLENT WORM."

"Ooh." Gai nodded in slow understanding. "The Zangyack is the greatest in the whole universe? Really? Because I mean—oof!"

Insarn, he thought her name was, kicked him in the stomach and caused him to curl up into a ball and try to catch his breath.

"Watch your tongue, pirate." She growled, rearing her foot back for another hit before being stopped with a hand motion from Damaras.

"Your highness? What shall we do with him?"

Gai swallowed and wished, not for the first time, that he could just disappear.

"Take him to Scientist Zaien." The Prince cast a sideways glance at Barizorg and his lip curled into a smirk. The boy almost began shaking in his shackles. "Let's see how well those pirates would do after he becomes a loyal cyborg _to me._"


End file.
